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Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (18) Well that's all over, let's get the party started

999 replies

Stickerrocks · 23/08/2018 14:17

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3341060-GCSEs-2018-17-What-will-be-in-your-coffee-cup-on-Thursday

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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jenthehen · 27/08/2018 13:32

Alexander my ds’s Results are very similar. We’ve decided not to have the 6 remarked. I don’t feel it would make any difference for him in later life.

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 27/08/2018 13:57

DD got a solitary grade 6, but we had always said we would be delighted if she managed to get a 6 for Spanish, so to me it's probably her best result.

I'm itching to get hold of her list of everything she needs to take for enrolment tomorrow. I have given her her passport and the photo she must hand in for her season ticket, but I'm feeling redundant. DH has reminded her that she must double check everything sooner rather than later, but that was met with eye rolling.

OP posts:
AlexanderHamilton · 27/08/2018 14:00

We didn’t think anything of it until the teacher contacted us.

Original poster
Stickerrocks · 27/08/2018 14:24

Well Alex they obviously think she has a good chance of getting it.

OP posts:
whistl · 27/08/2018 14:27

DS also got one grade 6. It was a surprise because there had never been any indication that it was at risk, from either DS after the exam or the school at any time.
I think it's worth asking how many marks he got and, if close, asking for a review, but DS is happy to leave it.
It's English language.
Will it ever count against him in the future to not have an A+ in English language??

AlexanderHamilton · 27/08/2018 14:38

I still think Grade 6 is a good grade & will be over the moon in two years time if Ds gets 6’s.

Oratory1 · 27/08/2018 14:40

Both my girls had a 'rogue' result in amongst their otherwise good set of grades and no one paid the slightest notice. The top uni's are looking for excellence and a deep interest in the chosen subject and other uni's/employees are looking for an overall picture to back up predicted grades etc so I don't think it will matter one bit. Uni's also often look at results in the 'best 8' subjects knowing that DC have differing opportunities to take more. I think it s more useful if its in an A level or potential degree subject. But as I said before if it's something you or your DC would like to try for then go for it.

ReservoirDogs · 27/08/2018 14:41

We have gone for a remark on one exam that was just one long paper. DS was 1 mark off the A* and it would be an 11 mark to drop down to a B.

I know it sounds daft because he has 9 x A*/9/8 and 2 x A but as it was sooo close and just the one paper we thought the £55 was worth it. (Also with one eye on Oxford who knows whether that one mark may actually make a difference!)

Rufustheyawningreindeer · 27/08/2018 14:48

Dd is a talented actress

She got a 6 in her drama what really i would have expected a 7

Its really not a biggie, she did well in her LAMDA bronze and will still be going to college to do a BTEC in acting whatever her grade

But i really want to know how close she was to a 7. Its AQA though
So i think i need to contact the school next week for the actual marks

It may welk be her practical which she didnt do as well as she thought due to mental health issues and absolutely loooooaaaaathing her group and the theme

AlexanderHamilton · 27/08/2018 16:16

I’m on a Drama teacher forum & the members who teach in schools have reported some strange moderating of the practicals.

Reminds me though, Dd took her LAMDA gold back in July & I haven’t had her results.

LARLARLAND · 27/08/2018 16:40

Alexander What, if anything would those drama teachers be able to do about strange moderating of the practicals?

KickBishopBrennanUpTheArse · 27/08/2018 17:05

Dd is having one paper remarked. It's the dreaded English language paper 2. She got a 5 which we are all delighted about because she had been working at a 3 up to March.

She was 3 marks off a 6 and the school handed her a sheet to sign with her results. She signed it while I was still stressing in the car park.

I don't think she cares one bit about getting it up to a 6. She was just so chuffed that it was a high 5. I'm panicking now that it could go down to a 4 and I wish she'd waited and thought about it more.

I don't know if it's too late now to backtrack?

ReservoirDogs · 27/08/2018 17:06

So Stinky is back from Reading, minus a sleeping bag (ripped apparently) and the rest of the stuff is straight in the washing machine. One t-shirt which was white looks decidedly beige but he says it has been the best Summer ever. I have reminded him he has Maths homework and an online test to do before next week Grin

ReservoirDogs · 27/08/2018 17:07

KickBishop what were the grade boundaries above and below?

LARLARLAND · 27/08/2018 17:10

KickBishopBrennan DS was 2 raw marks off an 8 which I think represents about 1.25%. I think we are having the same paper reviewed too. Was it a tricky paper? I am nervous too if it’s any consolation.

KickBishopBrennanUpTheArse · 27/08/2018 17:26

Reservoir the 6 boundary is 97 and the 5 boundary is 86.

I assume that means she got 94. Doesn't feel very far away from 85 Shock

LARLARLAND · 27/08/2018 17:32

This is the problem with so many grades (1-9). The grade boundaries are so narrow. DS has a SpLD which means he is rubbish at maths and sciences. I am happy with the 5s he got in those subjects and wouldn’t risk asking for reviews. The humanities are what he is doing for A levels and (hopefully) degree level and so I feel it’s worth taking a chance. I hope I am right. Ultimately it was DS’s decision so we’ll have to wait and see.

ReservoirDogs · 27/08/2018 17:33

I know we left one as is because he was 4 from one above and 7 from one below. I was willing to take a punt on the one that was only 1 off. I have hears horror stories of drops of 7/8/9. Some gaps in some exams are 20 or so but where they are 10/11 I wouls probably not risk it

LARLARLAND · 27/08/2018 17:40

DS was 4 off a higher grade in biology. It’s hard to know whether to risk it.

whistl · 27/08/2018 18:31

LARLARLAND - how wide was the band?

EllenJanesthickerknickers · 27/08/2018 18:38

DS3 got 5s for both English lan and lit, less than he was predicted but all he needs to get into sixth form and he's not continuing with arts subjects. I don't think it's worth getting them reviewed/remarked. He's not aiming for Oxbridge!

hmcAsWas · 27/08/2018 18:40

I don't know dd's raw marks - she basically went in to the Head's office to collect her envelope, say a hasty thanks and sprinted back to the car to open her envelope and didn't then go back in to school. Its a bit annoying because I am dying of curiosity.

I would only bother with a remark if she got a suspect rogue result - i.e. a minimum two grades lower than mock / predicted (i.e. in these circs I would be concerned that the marking was awry), or if it was a 'critical' grade (eg getting a 3 and needing a 4 to pass) because I have a few qualms about grade chasing. Last year she was 1 mark off and A* for ICT GCSE and the teacher invited us to consider a remark - we decided that we were happy with an A and let it lie. To be honest I hope that the percentage of higher grades awarded for remarks remains quite low, otherwise the system is screwed and its unfair

LARLARLAND · 27/08/2018 19:08

whistl I think a 6 was 85 (DS got 81) and a 5 was 69. DS said the paper included a lot of maths which was bad for him.

AlexanderHamilton · 27/08/2018 19:08

LarLar - there is talk about changing exam boards for future cohorts from some.

LooseAtTheSeams · 27/08/2018 19:12

Definitely not going for reviews here - DS got what he needs for sixth form and is a happy bunny.